Forgiven
by skybluebutterfly
Summary: Sequel to Light Within the Shadows and Blown Out Torch. Two months after the incident in Hollow Bastion, Riku went back to Traverse Town to resupply. Unexpected company may keep him longer than he expected. SLASH. RikuSora.


Hoo!! wipes brow I got it done in time! **This fic is my birthday present to all of YOU**, my readers! Thank you so much for being this patient with me through this trilogy, as well as other fics. I really appreciate your understanding! And yes! It _is_ my birthday! November 6th!! My favorite day of the year besides Christmas!

So it is dedicated to **Yanka** and **YOU**! Thank you so much!

P.S. It is three days late, sorry about that... I was going to post it on Sat., my b-day, but something came up and... well, that's not really important. The point is, it's here!

Anyhoo, I present to you...

Forgiven

The Last of a Yaoi _Kingdom Hearts _Trilogy

by Skybluebutterfly

It was another calm and quite night in space: The stars were twinkling (though one or two of them went out, but not many noticed), the silence comforting, and there was not a single Heartless ship in sight (perhaps they were too busy taking over the stars that just went out). It was so peaceful one could almost call it romantic.

_Almost._

He was in no mood for such unproductive feelings --or _any feelings at all_, to tell the truth-- right now, as his crystal blue gummi ship zoomed through the dark plane. And really, no one could truly hold him responsible for his behavior. It is not, after all, everyday you discover your best friend and almost-lover hated you for all you were and stood for.

_Not that I blame him._

This brought his thoughts to the cause of this, no, all _these_ problems. That little bit of _nothing_, which caused a whole lot of _something_.

**_The Heartless_.**

It was sort of ironic now that he thought about it: He never paid much mind to those black things that constantly plagued his dreams (Or were they nightmares?) at night when he was still on Destiny Islands. They were just dreams, right? Just some subconscious thoughts created by his young and overactive imagination, right?

_So much for _that_ theory._

A large asteroid suddenly appeared in his line of vision and he hastily twisted the ship controller to avoid a head-on collision with the gigantic rock. Twisting the controller was easy; bringing the ship back under control was not; and that task took him several more seconds to accomplish. Absentmindedly, he checked the distance of which he still needed to travel.

_I'm almost there_.

When he had successfully tamed the wild beast people commonly referred to as his gummi, he drifted off into his own thoughts again.

Where was he? Oh yes, the Heartless.

The evil little piece of nothing which had ultimately sabotaged his friendship, as well as something else --_anything else_-- that he had shared with Sora.

_Sora..._

_It had been two months._

It was ironic, again he decided, that he lost Sora because of a Heartless, something he used to be able to control effortlessly. Yet, he lost to one nevertheless. A morphing darkling created by Maleficent with her evil magic powers, of which he had no doubt.

_And I used to work for her._

The very thought had made him laugh, though there was not the slightest hint of humor in his expression of "amusement."

_We used to be so happy, so free._

It was true. They used to be so carefree; almost reckless, one could say. But back on Destiny Islands, no one cared. They are just boys, the Island people would say, they are supposed to be this way.

_But everything changed._

Yes, they did. More than once, too.

Until a few months ago, he could still consider himself happy --to some degree, anyway-- if he compared it to how he felt now. Despite the obvious fact that he could not openly declare war against the witch that took over Hollow Bastion, he had long replaced his loyalties for her (though there weren't much to begin with, if there were any at all) with fabrications of made-up truth and dishonesty. For he had joined the side of the Light and was no longer a victim of the Heartless. Sora had convinced him to do that.

_Sora._

His chest was contracting again.

_"So what do you want to do today, Riku?"_

_"Um... Oh! You know what I heard?"_

_"What, what? Tell me, tell me, I want to know!"_

_"I don't know, Sora... It _is_ top secret after all, and I'm not sure I should tell you anymore than I've already done..."_

_"Oh, come on, Riku, I'm your best friend!"_

_"But it's still top secret, Sora, I'm just not so sure-"_

_"Tell me!"_

_"Why?"_

_"Because I want to know! That's why!"_

_"That's not a good enough reason, Sora."_

_"It is so."_

_"It is not."_

_"It is so."_

_"It is not."_

_"It is so!"_

_"It is not!"_

_"It is SO!"_

_"It is NOT!"_

_"IT IS SO!"_

_"IT IS NOT!"_

_"FINE, THEN! What do I have to do to make you tell me?"_

_"Um... How about we trade?"_

_"Trade?"_

_"Yyyyyep"_

_"So I take it you don't want to know what I heard?"_

_"Okay! Tell me your price."_

_"You know what? Never mind. I really shouldn't tell you."_

_"Wait, I'd trade you anything!"_

_"**Anything**?"_

_"Anything... Well, except Mika..."_

_"Sora, it's about time you get rid of that rabbit..."_

_"But he's so adorable!"_

_"He's a stuffed animal."_

_"So?"_

_"And you've had him since you were three."_

_"So?"_

_An exasperated sigh, "...I don't want to trade for him anyway."_

_"What's wrong with him?"  
_

_"Nothing."_

_"So what _do_ you want to trade?"_

_"This."_

_Deadly silence. Then..._

_"W-What was **THAT**?!"_

_"Your payment; what do you think we've talking about for the last ten minutes?"_

_"B-But you j-just... **KISSED ME**!!!"_

_"So?"_

_"SO!"_

_"So?"_

_"Boys don't kiss other boys!"_

_"Really, says who?"_

_"Do you want to know what I heard or not?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"Okay. Here's what I heard: Remember the tunnel under the tree that leads to a dark cave? Good. I heard that..."_

_The voices hushed and faded into silence._

He shook his head to clear the memory.

_It's about time you forget about that and stop living in the past..._

He supposed his brain was right. But the harder he tried to forget about the things they'd shared, the clearer the memories became. And they would become clearer still, he knew, until he could take it no more... What happens then was something he did not want to ponder about now.

It was then another large object in space flew straight at him (or him straight at it, he couldn't tell anymore) and he was ready to twist the control again to avoid it when he realized that the large object was indeed his destination.

_Oops._

Traver Town was just as peaceful as when he last left it. The world that is basked in eternal night still thrived with people despite the dark evil that had swallowed many of its neighboring worlds.

He parked his gummi ship in one of the few empty ports and stepped out of the vehicle, his dark Keyblade secure in his right palm. He then proceeded to take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

_Fresh air at last._

"I can't believe it! Is that really you, Riku?" came a familiar female voice, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned, and was surprised (though he later decided that he really had no reason to be) to see a young girl with dark red hair running toward him, waving at him cheerfully as she did so. He smiled at her in return.

_It's been a while._

When she got to where he was, a couple hundred meters from where she stood before, she was panting with exhaustion. With her small hands resting on her knees, she took her time to catch her breath. He let her.

"How are you?" she asked once she had her lungs under control.

_Dying inside._ "Okay."

"So what are you doing here?"

"Re-supplying."

She offered him another smile, "Still fighting the Heartless, I see."

"And you're not?"

She giggled and stuck out her tongue guiltily, "I'm not the one fighting in the front line; I'm much too delicate for such physical labor."

He rolled his eyes, "Oh right, how can I _ever_ forget such an important detail?"

She giggled again in a way only girls could do. Suddenly, without any preparation on his part, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward what he recognized as the Second District. The girl, for some reason unknown to him, was extremely excited; even _he_ had trouble keeping up with her.

"K-Kairi, slow down!" he yelled between pants. Did both his feet just leave the ground?

"No!" she didn't even bother to turn back to face him when she talked, "I want to show you something, but we must hurry or we'll miss him!"

_Him?_

He sighed inwardly and tried to clear his mind of the picture of a certain chocolate brown haired individual that had popped into his head.

_I've got to stop thinking about him every time someone mentions a "he."_

Still, he had to ask, "Or we'll miss who?"

She increased her pace, "Cid, of course!"

_See, Riku? She _wasn't_ talking about _him_... Wait a minute, who's Cid?_

"Who's Cid?"

Finally, she slowed down and turned to face him, her eyebrows burrowed, "You don't know Cid? Oh wait, _of course_ you don't know Cid! Silly me!" she giggled --_yet again_-- and he couldn't help but wonder when the _heck_ did she start to act like such a..._girl._

_Not that she wasn't acting girly when I met her._

"...Anyway, he's the one in charge of all our gummi ships..." She continued to talk, now running in a more reasonable pace but still held onto his wrist. He tuned her out after the first few minutes, his attention else where.

They went through the doors leading to the Second District, he immediately searched for a particular building; it didn't take him long.

_There it is._

Indeed, there stood the ever lovely hotel of the Second District, in all of its painful glory.

_And memories._

_Yes, _his mind seemed to reply, _and memories._

Much to his dismay (but a little part of him still hoped to run into a _certain_ individual in there), she pulled him into the Hotel without the slightest hesitation.

And rand straight into a groups of Heartless.

He didn't waste any time in pulling out his weapon, pushing his friend behind him as he did so. She opened her mouth to protest that she could take care of herself --until she saw that look on his face; it almost appeared as if he was thinking of...

_Die._

A beast that oddly resembled a gorilla wearing armor and holding a shield charged clumsily at him, swing its blue shield at him. He dodged easily, a cruel smile present along his suddenly thin lips.

Too bad it was only a diversion.

A blue blast hit him from behind and forced him to his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut in pain; it _burned._ However, before he had a chance to recover, the first beast (whom he now recognized at a Defender) struck him with its shield. He clutched the back of his neck, where the weapon had hit, and felt the warm liquid that was his blood. The Heartless gave him no chance to catch his breath and another shield, which he assumed belonged to the second Defender, hit its mark between the shoulder blades.

So it went on like this: the two Defenders ganged up on him, taking turns to hit him and never giving him a chance to fight back. As much as he tried, he could not escape the Heartless. Many assaults delivered right where his neck and shoulders meet and the back of his head, causing stars to appear before his eyes.

Until, finally, mainly due to the slowness of the Defenders, there was an opening! He drowned down a newly-opened bottle of Hi-Potion; and almost immediately did he feel the healing properties of the medicine mending his wounds, taking all the pain with them.

With his strength partially restored, he jumped up into a defense position, his weapon ready. One Heartless charged at him while the other prepared to shoot its beam at him, its ugly body glowing a faint blue.

He dodged the attack of the first Defender and maneuvered himself behind it, slashing at the Heartless with all his might. It turned, prepared to deliver another blow him with that beast-like shield of its. Like a moment before, he managed to jump back from the attack and successfully positioning himself right behind it. It took several turns, but he killed it, dark blood oozed from its neck as its form turned into black mist and disappeared completely.

His hands and weapon stood where the Heartless once existed, panting heavily; his strength spent; but a smile on his face.

_Now, _that's_ more like it._

"Riku, behind you!"

He turned at her outburst. There stood the remaining Defender, whom he had completely forgotten, with its shield ready to strike. He knew at that moment he would never be able to avoid the blow in time; and with such a small amount of energy left... there was no doubt in his mind as to what would happen if the assault met its mark.

He closed his eyes, ready for the blow...

...that never came.

He peaked through one eye, then another, and finally, he blinked.

The Heartless had disappeared, in its place was a boy-- a blue-eyed, chocolate-haired boy.

The boy in question glanced up, the Oblivion Keyblade banishing from his right palm as he did so, and met Riku's eyes.

"Hiya, Riku. Long time no see."

All he did --and could do-- was stare --with his lower jaw hanging very close to the ground.

_Sora._

Sometimes during his unabashed staring, Sora had casually made his way to his two friends with a faint smile hanging on the corner of his lips.

"S-Sora." His mouth had gone dry.

"Glad you still remember my name," the boy joked as he went over to Kairi and hugged her as a greeting.

His heart sank at the image.

Something soft and warm made physical contact with his cheek; he turned and Sora touching his cheek. His friend was smiling.

_What the...?_

The next thing he knew, his hair was being pulled down rather roughly and a pair of soft lips descended upon his. A familiar warm feeling went through his whole body, starting from the top of his head all the way down to the tips of his toes. The invisible weight that had been on his shoulders for the past two months had suddenly been lifted, leaving him in such a state that he could have sworn he was flying.

Despite that, one question remained.

_...Why?_

Why was Sora kissing him? Didn't the boy think he was the one that... that... did these _things_ to him? Was it forgotten? Was he forgiven? If so, _why_ was he forgiven?

He was so caught up with his own inner turmoil it was only natural to be surprised --though not unpleasantly so-- when Sora's tongue invaded the warm cavern of his mouth.

_...Sora was kissing him... Sora was _kissing_ him! Wait, Sora was kissing _him

Even Riku himself had to --however reluctantly-- admit that he was, unmistakably, a dominance-hogger. This fact, coupled with their previous encounters, he was truly surprised --but, again, not unpleasantly so-- in how well Sora could kiss, even in the dominant position.

Unfortunately, they still needed oxygen to survive --but that didn't stop Riku from groaning in disappointment when Sora pulled away to breathe after a while of tongue-dueling. He heard Sora chuckle.

"Miss me, I see." The amusement in the boy's voice was unmissable.

Still, the same question remained.

"W-"

"I heard what happened," Sora cut in, "from the Shadows in Hollow Bastion."

He couldn't quite hide his amazement, "You can talk to them? How? When? Why didn't you tell me-?"

The Keyblade Master silenced him with a single finger, skillfully placed on both his lips. "You're digressing."

He opened his mouth to protest; but before any sound could come out, his friend kissed him again. It was only a little peck on the lips, but it did its job; he was silenced once more.

"Shh... You talk too much."

Then, the boy of his dreams pulled him close and rested his head on Riku's chest. The latter closed his eyes, enjoying the much-appreciated cuddling.

Content was his only thought right now; peace.

_Just like back on Destiny Islands. Only Sora and me, and Kairi, too, of course-_

_Kairi! She's watching us!_

Out of panic, he pulled away roughly, or tried to anyway --Sora had a firm hold on his silver tresses.

"She's not here," his love stated, as if reading his mind (which he was beginning to believe to be the case), and pulled Riku back against him, "She left a while ago. You were too busy thinking who-knows-what to notice anything." Sora looked away for a second, searching for something. A moment later, he came up with a piece of white paper, which he handed to his companion. "It's for you."

Indeed, the folded paper was addressed to him, _To: Riku_ written clearly across the middle in a girly cursive. (Author's Note: Can cursive be girly?) He unfolded it; in it were two word scripted in the same writing. He couldn't help bu smile at the message.

_Have fun._

He glanced up at his friend, whose cheeks were still tinted a slight pink from their previous "activity." Sora's outfit had changed since the last time he saw the boy (_brilliant observation, Riku,_ came the his mind's sarcastic comment). The boy was dress in all black and his clothes appeared to be made of... is that _leather_...?!

He suddenly felt hungry --and not for food, neither.

Well, since his friend suggested it...

_Don't worry, Kairi... I'm sure I'll have _lots_ of fun..._

FIN


End file.
